NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Constitution of Virginia

The Constitution of Virginia is the document that defines and limits the powers of the state government and the basic rights of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Like all other state constitutions, it is supreme over Virginia's laws and acts of government, though it may be superseded by the United States Constitution and U.S. federal law. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... George Catlin (1796 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania â€“ December 23, 1872 in Jersey City, New Jersey) was an American painter who specialized in portraits of Native Americans in the Old West. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 kmÂ²) - Width 200 miles (320 km) - Length 430 miles (690 km) - % water 7. ... In the context of the United States of America, a state constitution is the governing document of a U.S. state, comparable to the U.S. Constitution which is the governing document of the United States. ... Page one of the original copy of the Constitution. ... The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the land The United States Reports, the official reporter of the Supreme Court of the United States The law of the United States was originally largely derived from the common law of the system of English law, which was in force at...

Virginia enacted its first constitution in 1776, in conjunction with the Declaration of Independence by the original thirteen states of the United States of America. In addition to frequent amendments, there have been six major subsequent revisions of the constitution (in 1830, 1851, 1864, 1870, 1902, and the one currently in effect, in 1971). These new constitutions have been part of, and in reaction to, periods of major regional, racial or social upheaval in Virginia. A copy of the 1823 William J. Stone reproduction of the Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies were independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... In 1775, the British claimed authority over the red and pink areas on this map and Spain ruled the orange. ... Amendment has at least two meanings: An amendment is a formal alteration to any official document or record, typically with the aim of improving it for the better. ...

Historic Constitutions

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

1776

The preparation of the first Virginia Constitution began in early 1776, in the midst of the early events of the American Revolution. Among those who drafted the 1776 Constitution were George Mason, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Jefferson was also Virginia's representative to the Second Continental Congress, and his drafts of the Virginia constitution were direct precursors to his work on the United States Declaration of Independence.^[1] Likewise, Madison's work on the Virginia Consitution helped him develop the ideas and skills that he would later use as one of the main architects of the United States Constitution.^[2] John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies that... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.â€“4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801â€“09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... James Madison (March 16, 1751 â€“ June 28, 1836), an American politician and fourth President of the United States of America (1809â€“1817), was one of the most influential Founders of the United States. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence depicts the five-man drafting committee presenting the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress. ... A copy of the 1823 William J. Stone reproduction of the Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies were independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... Page one of the original copy of the Constitution. ...

The 1776 Constitution declared the dissolution of the rule of Great Britain over Virginia and accused England's King George III of establishing a "detestable and insupportable tyranny". It also established separation of governmental powers, with the creation of the bicameral Virginia General Assembly as the legislative body of the state and the Governor of Virginia as the "chief magistrate" or executive. The accompanying Virginia Declaration of Rights, written primarily by Mason, focuses on guarantees of basic human rights and freedoms and the fundamental purpose of government. It, in turn, served as a model for a number of other historic documents, including the United States Bill of Rights. George III (George William Frederick) (4 June 1738–29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... Tim Kaine, the current Governor The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. ... The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a declaration by the Virginia Convention of Delegates of rights of individuals and a call for independence from Britain. ... Image of the United States Bill of Rights from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The United States Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

1830

By the 1820s, Virginia was one of only two states that limited voting to landowners, and the residents of Western Virginia (the area that would become West Virginia in 1863) had grown increasingly discontented with their lack of representation in the legislature.^[3] The pressure increased until a constitutional convention was convened in 1829-1830. This convention was largely a contest between eastern Virginia landowners and the less affluent residents of Western Virginia, and the debate was dominated by issues of representation and suffrage.^[4] Delegates to the convention included such prominent Virginians as James Madison, James Monroe, John Tyler, and John Marshall.^[5] Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 kmÂ²) - Width 130 miles (210 km) - Length 240 miles (385 km) - % water 0. ... James Madison (March 16, 1751 â€“ June 28, 1836), an American politician and fourth President of the United States of America (1809â€“1817), was one of the most influential Founders of the United States. ... James Monroe (April 28, 1758 â€“ July 4, 1831) was the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825), and the fourth Virginian to hold the office. ... John Tyler, Jr. ... John Marshall (September 24, 1755 â€“ July 6, 1835) was an American statesman and jurist who shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power. ...

The convention ultimately compromised by loosening the requirements for suffrage and reducing the number of delegates and senators to the Virginia General Assembly. The resulting constitution was ratified by a popular majority, though most of the voters in the western part of the state ended up voting against it.^[3] Thus, the underlying intrastate tensions remained and set the stage for another showdown. The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ...

1851

As of the 1840 census, western Virginia contained the majority of the white residents of state, and their increasing proportional underrepresentation greatly compounding the dissatisfaction with the electoral scheme adopted in 1830. Western Virginians made several attempts to win electoral reform in the Virginia legislature but were defeated each time. Their resulting sense of frustration reached the point that some began to openly discuss the abolition of slavery or secession from the state.^[6] Ultimately, these pressures could not be ignored by the East, and a new constitutional convention was called met to resolve the continuing tensions. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... This English poster depicting the horrific conditions on slave ships was influential in mobilizing public opinion against slavery. ... For other uses, see Secession (disambiguation). ...

The most significant change adopted in the resulting 1851 Constitution was that the property requirement for voting was eliminated, meaning that all white male residents of Virginia could now vote. The 1851 Constitution further established that the Governor, the newly created office of Lieutenant Governor, and all Virginia judges would be popularly elected. In light of the progress made toward resolving long festering issues of suffrage and representation, the 1851 Virginia Constitution became known as the "Reform Constitution".^[7] Tim Kaine, the current Governor The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. ... The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Francis Harrison Pierpont (January 25, 1814–March 24, 1899), called the Father of West Virginia, was an American lawyer, politician, and governor of (the free parts of) Virginia during the Civil War. ...

1864

When, in 1861, Virginia voted for secession in the events leading up to the American Civil War, all of the western and several of the northern counties dissented and set up a separate government with Francis H. Pierpont as Governor. It was this separate government that, during the midst of the Civil War, approved the separation of West Virginia and the creation of a new Constitution in 1864.^[8] Thus, this Constitution was the product of a divided state and government, and also the first, since the original 1776 Constitution, to be adopted without a popular vote. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Francis Harrison Pierpont (January 25, 1814–March 24, 1899), called the Father of West Virginia, was an American lawyer, politician, and governor of (the free parts of) Virginia during the Civil War. ...

The 1864 Constitution abolished slavery in Virginia, disfranchised any representatives who served in the Confederate government and adjusted the number and terms of office of the members of the Virginia Assembly.^[9] The foreword to the current Virginia Constitution does not include the 1864 Constitution in its list of previous constitutions, noting that the 1864 Constitution was drafted under wartime conditions and thus of uncertain legal significance.^[10] Slave redirects here. ... Disfranchisement or disenfranchisement is the revocation of, or failure to grant, the right of suffrage (the right to vote) to a person or group of people. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (traditional) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861â€“April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Government Republic President... The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... A foreword is a literary device that is often found in the beginning of a piece of literature, before the introduction. ...

1870

After the end of the Civil War, Virginia came briefly under military rule, with John M. Schofield in command. Pursuant to federal Reconstruction legislation, General Schofield promptly called for a new constitutional convention to meet in Richmond from December 1867 to April 1868. In protest of black sufferage, many of Virginia's conservative whites refused to participate in the voting for delegates.^[11] As a result, Radical Republicans, led by Judge John Underwood, dominated the convention, and the resulting constitution became known as the "Underwood Constitution".^[8] Opponents to its ratification derisively called it the "Negro Constitution".^[11] For John Schofield, the recipient of a Victoria Cross see John Schofield (VC). ... Reconstruction was the attempt from 1865 to 1877 in U.S. history to resolve the issues of the American Civil War, when both the Confederacy and slavery were destroyed. ... The Radical Republicans were an influential faction of American politicians in the Republican party during the American Civil War and Reconstruction eras, 1860-1876. ...

Significant provisions in the Underwood Constitution included extending the right to vote to all male citizens over the age of 21 (thus granting the vote to African American males), establishing a state school system with mandatory funding and attendance, and providing that judges would be elected by the General Assembly rather than by popular election.^[12] Controversy over clauses that continued the disfranchisement of former Confederate government members delayed the adoption of the Constitution. However, a compromise was eventually reached that provided for separate voting on the disfranchisement clauses and the rest of the Constitution, with the former failing to win approval.^[9] The remainder of the Underwood Constitution was ratified by a popular vote of 210,585 to 9,136, and went into effect in 1870.

1902

By the turn of the Twentieth Century, the Jim Crow era had taken root, and six Southern states had already disenfranchised African American voters. Political pressure mounted within Virginia to eliminate the black vote, ostensibly as a way to stop electoral fraud and corruption.^[13] The 1901 constitutional convention met during this climate, and the convention was primarily focused on restricting such voting rights without violating the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution or disenfranchising poor whites.^[14] The delegates, under the leadership of future Senator Carter Glass, accomplished this goal by creating requirements that all prospective voters had to pay poll taxes or pass a literacy test. An exemption was granted for military veterans and sons of veterans, who were virtually all white. The changes were effective in disenfranchising black voters, though many illiterate whites were also unable to meet the new requirements; succeeding elections showed that the Virginia electorate had effectively been cut in half as a result of the changes.^[3] (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Historic Southern United States. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Amendment XV in the National Archives 1870 celebration of the 15th amendment as a guarantee of African American rights 1867 drawing depicting the first vote by African Americans Amendment XV (the Fifteenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution provides that governments in the United States may not prevent a citizen... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... Carter Glass Carter Glass (January 4, 1858â€“May 28, 1946) was an American politician from Virginia, who served many years in Congress, as well as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Woodrow Wilson. ... A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ... A Voting test is a test designed to determine ones ability to read and write a given language. ... A veteran refers to a person who is experienced in a particular area, particularly referring to people in the armed forces. ... Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ...

Other significant provisions of the 1902 Constitution included the requirement of racial segregation in schools, the abolition of the county court system and the creation of the State Corporation Commission. Concern over African American opposition resulted in the convention refusing to honor its pledge that the proposed constitution would be put to popular vote.^[13] Thus, like the 1864 Constitution, the 1902 Constitution was adopted without ratification by the electorate. It ended up remaining in effect far longer than any previous Virginia constitution.^[3] The Rex Theatre for Colored People Racial segregation is characterized by separation of different races in daily life when both are doing equal tasks, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a rest room, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or... The State Corporation Commission, or SCC, is a Virginia regulatory agency whose authority encompasses utilities, insurance, state-chartered financial institutions, securities, retail franchising, and railroads. ...

Current Constitution (1971)

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and a series of Supreme Court cases, beginning with Brown v. Board of Education, had struck down the most controversial aspects of the 1902 Constitution - the provisions restricting voting by African Americans and mandating school segregation. This, combined with the election of Governor Mills Godwin in 1965, created an impetus for governmental change. Godwin strongly advocated the loosening of the strict constitutional restrictions on state issued bonds and borrowing, and used his power and popularity to push for a new constitution. So, in 1968 a joint resolution of the Virginia General Assembly approved a new commission, chaired by former Governor Albertis Harrison, to revise the constitution. ^[8] President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest judicial body in the... Holding Segregation of students in public schools violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, because separate facilities are inherently unequal. ... Tim Kaine, the current Governor The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. ... Mills Edwin Godwin, Jr. ... The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... Albertis S. Harrison Jr. ...

The Commission on Constitutional Revision presented its report and recommendations to Governor Godwin and the General Assembly in January 1969, and continued to work with them to draft a final consensus version.^[15] The proposed Constitution was then overwhelmingly approved by the voters of Virginia and took effect on July 1, 1971.

Article I - Bill of Rights

Article I contains the entire original Virginia Declaration of Rights from the 1776 Constitution. However, several of the sections have been expanded to incorporate concepts from the United States Bill of Rights, including the right to due process, the prohibition against double jeopardy and the right to bear arms. Like the Federal Constitution, the Virginia Bill of Rights, in §17, states that the listing of certain rights is not to be construed to exclude other rights held by the people. The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a declaration by the Virginia Convention of Delegates of rights of individuals and a call for independence from Britain. ... Image of the United States Bill of Rights from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration The United States Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. ... In United States law, adopted from English Law, due process (more fully due process of law) is the principle that the government must normally respect all of a persons legal rights instead of just some or most of those legal rights when the government deprives a person of life... For other uses, see Double jeopardy (disambiguation). ... This article refers to weapons or military service meanings of bear arms. For the rights of an individual to possess a coat of arms, see the articles on heraldry or Law of arms. ...

In 1997, a Victims' Rights Amendment was added to the Virginia Bill of Rights as §8-A. The Victims Rights Amendment is a provision which has been included in some state constitutions, proposed for others, and additionally has been proposed for inclusion in the United States Constitution. ...

On November 7, 2006, an amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage was approved by Virginia voters to be added to the Bill of Rights. This amendment also prohibits the recognition of any "union, partnership, or other legal status" between unmarried people that intends to approximate marriage or which confers the "rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage." The legal effect on "marriage-like" relationships between unmarried people is unknown. November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... CA, CT, MD, NY, NJ, OR, RI, VT, WA See also Civil union Registered partnership Domestic partnership Timeline of same-sex marriage Listings by country This box: Same-sex marriage, often called gay marriage, is a marriage between two persons of the same sex. ...

Article II - Franchise and Officers

The second Article of the Constitution sets out the procedures and mechanisms for voting and holding office. The sections in this Article have been subject to numerous technical amendments over the years. For example, the original voting age was set at 21, though it was lowered to 18 by an amendment that became effective in 1973.

Article III - Division of Powers

Article III confirms the principle of separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. Separation between the branches of government is also listed as a right of the people in §5 of Article I. The Politics series Politics Portal This box: Separation of powers a term coined by French political Enlightenment thinker Baron de Montesquieu[1][2], is a model for the governance of democratic states. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The judiciary, also referred to as the judicature, consists of justices, judges and magistrates among other types of adjudicators. ...

Article IV - Legislature

Article IV establishes the basic structure and authority of the Virginia legislature. The legislative power of the state is vested in the Virginia General Assembly, which consists of the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. §17 of Article IV gives the legislature the power to impeach members of the executive and judicial branches. The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state. ... The Virginia Senate is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. ... The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. ... Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body formally levels charges against a high official of government. ...

The original §14 of Article IV forbade the incorporation of churches, though the Virginia Commission on Constitutional Revision, in its 1969 report, had recognized that the prohibition was probably invalid. The federal district court for the Western District of Virginia ruled in April 2002 that this provision of the Virginia Constitution was in fact unconstitutional, because it violates the federal constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. Falwell v. Miller, 203 F. Supp.2d 624 (W.D. Va. 2002). The court found that it is unconstitutional to deny a church the option to incorporate under state law when other groups can incorporate.^[17] An amendment striking the ban on church incorporation was approved by Virginia voters in November 2006. // The United States Reports, the official reporter of the Supreme Court of the United States Case citation is the system used in common law countries such as the United States, England and Wales, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Australia and India to uniquely identify the location of past court...

Article V - Executive

The fifth Article similarly defines the structure and powers of the executive branch. The Governor of Virginia is invested as the chief executive, though §1 of Article V, provides that the Governor may not run for successive terms. The offices of Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General are established as supporting elected constitutional positions. Tim Kaine, the current Governor The Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. ... The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. ...

The constitutional powers of the Governor include the ability to sign legislation, veto bills (which veto may then be overridden by a two-thirds majority of both houses of the assembly), and issue pardons. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it. ...

Article VI - Judiciary

Article VI vests judicial power in the Supreme Court of Virginia, along with the subordinate courts created by the General Assembly. Judges are appointed by a majority vote in the General Assembly to terms of 12 years for Supreme Court Justices and 8 years for other judges. The Supreme Court, pursuant to §5, has the authority to make rules governing the practice of law and procedures in the courts of the commonwealth (see rules), and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is established as the administrative head of the Virginia judicial system. The Supreme Court of Virginia is one of the oldest continuous judicial bodies in the United States. ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme...

Article VII - Local Government

Article VII of the Constitution sets up the basic framework for the structure and function of local government in Virginia. Local government may be established at the town (population over 1000), city (population over 5000), county or regional government level. Article VII gives the General Assembly the power to create general laws for the organization and governing of these political subdivisions, except that regional governments cannot be created without the consent of the majority of the voters in the region. Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... Look up city, City in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... Subnational entity is a generic term for an administrative region within a country — on an arbitrary level below that of the sovereign state — typically with a local government encompassing multiple municipalities, counties, or provinces with a certain degree of autonomy in a varying number of matters. ...

Section 4 establishes the constitutional offices of treasurer, sheriff, Commonwealth's Attorney, clerk of court and commissioner of revenue to be elected within each city and county in Virginia. In many governments, a treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury. ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Commonwealths Attorney is the title given to the elected felony prosecutor in states that are officially called commonwealth. ... A court clerk, in French English clerk to the court or in American English clerk of the court is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. ...

Article VIII - Education

A compulsory and free primary and secondary public education for every Virginia child is the focus of Article VIII. The General Assembly is empowered to determine the funding for the educational system and apportion the cost between state and local government. A state Board of Education is established to create school divisions and effectuate the overall educational policies. Actual supervision of the individual schools is delegated to local school boards, provided for in §7. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ... A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors of a school, local school district or higher administrative level. ...

Article IX - Corporations

The primary purpose of Article IX is to create the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which is charged with administering the laws that regulate corporations. The State Corporation Commission also issues charters for Virginia corporations and licenses to do business for “foreign” (non-Virginia) corporations. Section 5 of Article IX prohibits such foreign corporations from doing anything in Virginia that a Virginia corporation could not do. The State Corporation Commission, or SCC, is a Virginia regulatory agency whose authority encompasses utilities, insurance, state-chartered financial institutions, securities, retail franchising, and railroads. ... A corporation (usually known in the United Kingdom and Ireland as a company) is a legal entity (distinct from a natural person) that often has similar rights in law to those of a Civil law systems may refer to corporations as moral persons; they may also go by the name...

Article X - Taxation and Finance

Article X establishes the basic structure for taxation of real and personal property in Virginia. Pursuant to this Article, all non-exempt real and personal property is subject to taxation at its fair market value. Section 6 sets out a lengthy list of exempt property, which includes church property, cemeteries, and non-profit school property. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Personal property is a type of property. ... A non-profit organization (often called non-profit org or simply non-profit or not-for-profit) can be seen as an organization that doesnt have a goal to make a profit. ...

Significant additions to Article X include §7, a balanced budget amendment, which became effective in 1986, and §7-A, which establishes the "Lottery Proceeds Fund", requiring that all proceeds from the Virginia lottery be set aside for educational purposes. From a Keynesian point of view, a balanced budget in the public sector is achieved when the government has enough fiscal discipline to be able to equate the revenues with expenditure over the business cycles. ...

Article XI - Conservation

Article XI states that it is the general policy of the Commonwealth to preserve, protect and conserve the state’s natural and historic resources. The General Assembly is permitted to further these policies by entering into public-private partnerships or partnerships with federal agencies. Natural resources are commodities that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified (natural) form. ... Public-private partnership (PPP) is a variation of privatization in which elements of a service previously run solely by the public sector are provided through a partnership between the government and one or more private sector companies. ...

A 2001 amendment added §4, which establishes hunting and fishing as constitutional rights of Virginians, though the legislature may enact appropriate regulations and restrictions on these rights. A hunt is an activity during which humans or animals chase some prey, such as wild or specially bred animals (traditionally targeted species are known as game), in order to catch or kill them, either for food, sale, or as a form of sport. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering. ...

Article XII - Future changes

The last Article creates the mechanism for future changes to the Constitution. Any amendment to the Constitution must first be passed by a majority in each of the two legislative houses. The proposed amendment must then be held over for consideration by the succeeding elected legislature, where it must again be passed by a majority in each house. The amendment then goes on the general ballot and becomes enacted into the Constitution if approved by a majority of the voters. For the town in France, see Ballots, Mayenne. ...

Alternately, a two-thirds majority of both Virginia houses may call for the creation of a constitutional convention. Any revisions or amendments proposed by the constitutional convention are presented to the citizens of Virginia and become law upon approval by a majority of voters. A constitutional convention is a gathering of delegates for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. ...

References

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Smithsonian is a monthly magazine published by the Smithsonian Institution of the United States in Washington, DC External link Smithsonian webpage Categories: Smithsonian Institution | United States magazines | Stub ... Virginius Dabney (February 8, 1901 to December 28, 1995) was a teacher, journalist, writer, and editor. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Sean Wilentz (b. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Categories: State constitutions of the United States | Virginia law In the context of the United States of America, a state constitution is the governing document of a U.S. state, comparable to the U.S. Constitution which is the governing document of the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties/Parishes/Boroughs, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... The Alabama Constitution is the basic governing document of the U.S. state of Alabama. ... // The Alaska Constitution is the constitution of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... The Arizona Constitution is the governing document and framework for the State of Arizona. ... The Arkansas Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Arkansas. ... The 1849 Constitution was signed in Colton Hall in Monterey. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 8th 269,837 kmÂ² 451 km 612 km 0. ... The Connecticut Constitution is the basic governing document of the U.S. state of Connecticut. ... The Delaware Constitution of 1897 is the fourth and current governing document for Delaware state government and has been in effect since its adoption on June 4, 1897. ... The Great Seal of the State of Florida The Florida Constitution is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state. ... The Constitution of Hawaii refers to various legal documents throughout the history of the Hawaiian Islands that defined the fundamental principles of authority and governance within its sphere of jurisdiction. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boise Largest city Boise Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 14th 216,632 kmÂ² 491 km 771 km 0. ... The Illinois Constitution is the governing body of the state of Illinois. ... // There have been several versions of the Constitution of Indiana. ... The Kansas Constitution was originally known as the Wyandotte Constitution to distinguish it from three proposed constitutions that preceded it. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 37th 104,749 kmÂ² 225 km 610 km 1. ... The Louisiana Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Louisiana. ... The Maine Constitution established the State of Maine in 1820 and is the fundamental governing document of the state. ... The Great Seal of Maryland The current Constitution of Maryland, which was ratified by the people of the state on September 18, 1867, forms the basic law for the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the fundamental governing document of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ... The Michigan Constitution is the governing document of the state of Michigan. ... The Constitution of the State of Minnesota was initially approved by the residents of Minnesota Territory in a special election held on October 13, 1857, and was ratified by the United States Senate on May 11, 1858, marking the admittance of Minnesota to the Union. ... The constitution of Mississippi is the governing document of Mississippi. ... Within Missouri, there are three levels of government: state government county city Missouris state capital is Jefferson City lying approximately halfway between its two largest cities, St. ... The Montana Constitution is the primary legal document providing for the self-governance of the U.S. State of Montana. ... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 16th 200,520 kmÂ² 340 km 690 km 0. ... The Constitution of the State of Nevada was created in 1864 at a convention on July 4 in Carson City. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: New Hampshire Constitution The New Hampshire State Constitution is the primary governing document of the State of New Hampshire ratified on June 2, 1784. ... The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. ... CONSTITUTION OF NEW YORK, 1777 New York State Constitution Current through January 1, 2004 Categories: | | | | ... The North Carolina Constitution governs the structure and function of the North Carolina state government. ... State nickname: Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, Flickertail State Other U.S. States Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Governor John Hoeven Official languages English Area 183 272 km² (19th) - Land 178 839 km² - Water 4 432 km² (2. ... The Ohio Constitution is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. ... Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the state of Oklahoma, superseded only by the Federal Constitution. ... The Oregon Constitution is a U.S. state constitution, the governing document of the American state of Oregon. ... The current Constitution of Pennsylvania, most recently revised in 1968, forms the law for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ... The South Carolina Constitution is the governing document of South Carolina. ... The Tennessee State Constitution defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules (and means for changing them) of the U.S. State of Tennessee. ... The Texas Constitution is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of Texas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 13th 219,887 kmÂ² 435 km 565 km 3. ... The Vermont Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Vermont. ... The Washington Constitution is the document that describes the structure and function of the government of the state of Washington. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Constitution of Wisconsin Wikisource has original text related to this article: Rejected Constitution of the State of Wisconsin The Wisconsin Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... An insular area is United States territory that is neither a part of one of the fifty states nor a part of the District of Columbia, the nations federal district. ...

Contents

Historic Constitutions GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");