Indiana Constitution

Indiana Constitution
Preamble
Articles
1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16

The Indiana Constitution is the state constitution of Indiana.

• The current Indiana Constitution was adopted in 1851.
• Indiana has had two state constitutions.
• The current state constitution has 16 articles.
• The current Indiana Constitution has been amended 45 times since 1850.
• Voters last approved a new amendment to the Indiana Constitution on November 6, 2018, when voters approved Question 1.

A state constitution is the fundamental document that outlines a state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.

Background

Indiana's first constitution was adopted in 1816 by a constitutional convention before Indiana became a state. Indiana's citizens voted to amend the first constitution in 1851. The 1851 Constitution is still in place.

Preamble

See also: Preamble, Indiana Constitution and Preambles to state constitutions

The preamble to the current constitution states:

	TO THE END, that justice be established, public order maintained, and liberty perpetuated; WE, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to ALMIGHTY GOD for the free exercise of the right to choose our own form of government, do ordain this Constitution.

Article 1: Bill of Rights

See also: Article 1, Indiana Constitution

Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Bill of Rights" and consists of 38 sections.

Click here to read this article of the Indiana Constitution.

Article 2: Suffrage and Election

See also: Article 2, Indiana Constitution

Article 2 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Suffrage and Election" and consists of 14 sections, three of which have been repealed.

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Article 3: Distribution of Powers

See also: Article 3, Indiana Constitution

Article 3 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Distribution of Powers" and consists of one section.

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Article 4: Legislative

See also: Article 4, Indiana Constitution

Article 4 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Legislative" and consists of 30 sections, one of which has been repealed.

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Article 5: Executive

See also: Article 5, Indiana Constitution

Article 5 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Executive" and consists of 24 sections, one of which has been repealed.

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Article 6: Administrative

See also: Article 6, Indiana Constitution

Article 6 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Administrative" and consists of eleven sections, one of which has been repealed.

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Article 7: Judicial

See also: Article 7, Indiana Constitution

Article 7 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Judicial" and consists of 21 sections, three of which have been repealed.

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Article 8: Education

See also: Article 8, Indiana Constitution

Article 8 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Education" and consists of eight sections.

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Article 9: State Institutions

See also: Article 9, Indiana Constitution

Article 9 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "State Institutions." It has three sections.

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Article 10: Finance

See also: Article 10, Indiana Constitution

Article 10 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Finance." It has eight sections.

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Article 11: Corporations

See also: Article 11, Indiana Constitution

Article 11 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Corporations." It has 14 sections, two of which have been repealed.

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Article 12: Militia

See also: Article 12, Indiana Constitution

Article 12 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Militia." It has six sections, two of which have been repealed.

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Article 13: Indebtedness

See also: Article 13, Indiana Constitution

Article 13 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Political and Municipal Corporations." It has four sections, three of which have been repealed.

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Article 14: Boundaries

See also: Article 14, Indiana Constitution

Article 14 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Boundaries." It has two sections.

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Article 15: Miscellaneous

See also: Article 15, Indiana Constitution

Article 15 of the Indiana Constitution is entitled "Miscellaneous." It has ten sections, one of which has been repealed.

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Article 16: Amendments

See also: Article 16, Indiana Constitution

Article 16 of the Indiana Constitution is labeled "Amendments." It consists of two sections and a schedule and was most recently amended in 1998. Article 16 is about the procedures that must be followed in order to amend this constitution.

Click here to read this article of the Indiana Constitution.

Amending the constitution

See also: Amending state constitutions

The Indiana Constitution provides for a legislative process to amend the constitution.

Legislature

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A simple majority vote is required during two successive legislative sessions for the Indiana State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 51 votes in the Indiana House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Indiana State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

• State constitution
• Constitutional article
• Constitutional amendment
• Constitutional revision
• Constitutional convention
• Amendments
  • Initiated constitutional amendment
  • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
  • Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
  • Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
  • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

External links

Suggest a link

• Indiana General Assembly, "Indiana Constitution"
• Indiana.gov, "State Constitutions"
• Indiana.gov, "Original Constitution of 1816"
• Indiana.gov, "Constitution of 1851"
• Indiana.gov, "The 1851 Indiana Constitution" by David G. Vanderstel
• Indiana.gov, "Indiana Bill of Rights" by Randall T. Shepard, Chief Justice, Indiana Supreme Court
• Indiana.gov, "Indiana's Constitutional Past" by Justice Brent E. Dickson, Justice, Indiana Supreme Court