Illinois Fundamental Right to Education and Equality of Educational Opportunity Amendment (1992)

Illinois Amendment 2
Election date November 3, 1992
Topic Constitutional rights and Education
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Illinois Amendment 2 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Illinois on November 3, 1992. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to: provide that citizens have a fundamental right, rather than a goal, to educational development to the limits of their capacities; provide that "it is the paramount duty of the state" to provide for a "thorough and efficient system of high quality public education institutions and services;" "guarantee equality of educational opportunity as a fundamental right of each citizen;" and provide that the state has a "preponderant financial responsibility for financing the system of public education."

A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment, maintaining the existing language about educational rights.

Election results

In Illinois, a constitutional amendment must receive approval from (1) 60% of those voting on the question or (2) a simple majority of those who cast a ballot for any office in the election.

Illinois Amendment 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,882,569	57.05%
No		1,417,520	42.95%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 2 was as follows:

“

For the proposed amendment to Section 1 of Article X - Education - of the Constitution.

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

The Proposed Education amendment contains the following provisions: 1. The educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities is a fundamental "right" instead of "goal." 2. It is the "paramount duty" of the State to: (a) provide a thorough and efficient system of high quality public education, and (b) guarantee equality of educational opportunity as a fundamental right. 3. The State has the "preponderant financial responsibility" for financing public education.

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article X, Illinois Constitution

The ballot measure amended Section 1 of Article X of the Illinois Constitution. The following underlined text would have been added and struck-through text would have been deleted:

Section 1. Fundamental Right Goal - Free Schools

A fundamental right goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities.

It is the paramount duty of the State to shall provide for a an thorough and efficient system of high quality public education institutions and services and to guarantee equality of educational opportunity as a fundamental right of each citizen. Education in public schools through the secondary level shall be free. The State has the preponderant financial responsibility for financing the system of public education.

There may be such other free education as the General Assembly provides by law.

The State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Illinois Constitution

A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the Illinois General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 71 votes in the Illinois House of Representatives and 36 votes in the Illinois State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1992 Measures

• 1992 Measures
• Education on the ballot
• Constitutional rights on the ballot
• 1992 legislative sessions

Illinois

• Illinois ballot measures
• Illinois ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Constitutional Amendments