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- CONSTITUTION of the STATE OF NEVADA
- (as amended to 1974)
-
- PREAMBLE
-
- We the people of the State of Nevada Grateful to Almighty
- God for our freedom in order to secure its blessings, insure
- domestic tranquility, and form a more perfect Government, do
- establish this CONSTITUTION.
-
- ARTICLE. 1.
-
- Sec: 1. All men are by Nature free and equal and have certain ina-
- lienable rights among which are those of enjoying and de-
- fending life and liberty; Acquiring, Possessing and Pro-
- tecting property and pursuing and obtaining safety and
- happiness.
-
- Sec: 2. All political power is inherent in the people. Government
- is instituted for the protection, security and benefit of
- the people; and they have the right to alter or reform the
- same whenever the public good may require it. But the Para-
- mount Allegiance of every citizen is due to the Federal Gov-
- ernment in the exercise of all its Constitutional powers as
- the same have been or may be defined by the Supreme Court of
- the United States; and no power exists in the people of this
- or any other State of the Federal Union to dissolve their
- connection therewith or perform any act tending to impair,
- subvert, or resist the Supreme Authority of the Government
- of the United States. The Constitution of the United States
- confers full power on the Federal Government to maintain and
- Perpetuate its existance [existence], and whensoever any
- portion of the States, or people thereof attempt to secede
- from the Federal Union, or forcibly resist the Execution of
- its laws, the Federal Government may, by warrant of the
- Constitution, employ armed force in compelling obedience to
- its Authority.
-
- Sec: 3. The right of trial by Jury shall be secured to all and re-
- main inviolate forever; but a Jury trial may be waived by
- the parties in all civil cases in the manner to be prescri-
- bed by law; and in civil cases, if three fourths of the
- Jurors agree upon a verdict it shall stand and have the same
- force and effect as a verdict by the whole Jury, Provided,
- the Legislature by a law passed by a two thirds vote of all
- the members elected to each branch thereof may require a un-
- animous verdict notwithstanding this Provision.
-
- Sec: 4. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and
- worship without discrimination or preference shall forever
- be allowed in this State, and no person shall be rendered
- incompetent to be a witness on account of his opinions on
- matters of his religious belief, but the liberty of con-
- sciene [conscience] hereby secured, shall not be so con-
- strued, as to excuse acts of licentiousness or justify
- practices inconsistent with the peace, or safety of this
- State.
-
- Sec: 5. The privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus, shall not be
- suspended unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the
- public safety may require its suspension.
-
- Sec. 6: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines
- imposed, nor shall cruel or unusual punishments be inflict-
- ed, nor shall witnesses be unreasonably detained.
-
- Sec: 7. All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties; unless
- for Capital Offenses when the proof is evident, or the pre-
- sumption great.
-
- Sec: 8. No person shall be tried for a capital or other infamous
- crime (except in cases of impeachment, and in cases of the
- militia when in actual service and the land and naval forces
- in time of war, or which this state may keep, with the con-
- sent of congress, in time of peace, and in cases of petit
- larceny, under the regulation of the legislature) except on
- presentment of the grand jury, or upon information duly
- filed by a district attorney, or attorney-general of the
- state, and in any trial, in any court whatever, the party
- accused shall be allowed to appear and defend in person, and
- with counsel, as in civil actions. No person shall be sub-
- ject to be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense; nor
- shall he be compelled, in any criminal case, to be a witness
- against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or prop-
- erty, without due process of law; nor shall private property
- be take for public use without just compensation having been
- first made, or secured, except in cases of war, riot, fire,
- or great public peril, in which case compensation shall be
- afterward made.
-
- Sec: 9. Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sen-
- timents on all subjects being responsible for the abuse of
- that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or
- abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all
- criminal prosecutions and civil actions for libels, the
- truth may be given in evidence to the Jury; and if it shall
- appear to the Jury that the matter charged as libelous is
- true and was published with good motives and for justifiable
- ends, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.
-
- Sec: 10. The people shall have the right freely to assemble together
- to consult for the common good, to instruct their represent-
- atives and to petition the Legislature for redress of Griev-
- ances.
-
- Sec: 11. The military shall be subordinate to the civil power; No
- standing army shall be maintained by this State in time of
- peace, and in time of War, no appropriation for a standing
- army shall be for a longer time than two years.
-
- Sec: 12. No soldier shall, in time of Peace be quartered in any house
- without the consent of the owner, nor in time of War, except
- in the manner prescribed by law.
-
- Sec: 13. Representation shall be apportioned according to population.
-
- Sec: 14. The privilege of the debtor to enjoy the necessary comforts
- of life shall be recognized by wholesome laws, exempting a
- reasonable amount of property from seizure or sale for pay-
- ment of any debts or liabilities hereafter contracted; And
- there shall be no imprisonment for debt, except in cases of
- fraud, libel, or slander, and no person shall be imprisioned
- [imprisoned] for a militia fine in time of Peace.
-
- Sec: 15. No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing
- the obligation of contracts shall ever be passed.
-
- Sec: 16. Foreigners who are, or who may hereafter become Bona-fide
- residents of this State, shall enjoy the same rights, in
- respect to the possession, enjoyment and inheritance of
- property, as native born citizens. ( NOTE - Repealed in
- 1924)
-
- Sec: 17. Neither Slavery nor involuntary servitude unless for pun-
- ishment of crimes shall ever be tolerated in this State.
-
- Sec: 18. The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
- houses, papers and effects against unreasonable seizures and
- searches shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue
- but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or Affirmation,
- particularly describing the place or places to be searched,
- and the person or persons, and the thing or things to be
- seized.
-
- Sec: 19. Treason against the State shall consist only in levying war
- against it, adhering to its enemies or giving them Aid and
- Comfort . And no person shall be convicted of treason unless
- on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or
- on open confession in open court.
-
- Sec: 20. This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair
- or deny others retained by the people.
-
-