



                                  CONSTITUTION   
                                     OF THE      
                                STATE OF WYOMING 

                                    PREAMBLE     

          We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God  for
          our civil, political  and religious liberties,  and desiring
          to secure them to ourselves and perpetuate them to our  pos-
          terity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.


                                   ARTICLE 1      

                             DECLARATION OF RIGHTS


Sec. 1.   All  power is inherent  in the people, and  all free govern-
          ments are  founded on  their authority,  and instituted  for
          their peace,  safety and  happiness; for  the advancement of
          these ends they  have at all  times an unalienable  right to
          alter, reform or  abolish the government  in such manner  as
          they may think proper.

Sec. 2.   In their inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit  of
          happiness, all members of the human race are equal.

Sec. 3.   Since equality in the enjoyment of natural and civil  rights
          is only made  sure through political  equality, the laws  of
          this state affecting the political rights and privileges  of
          its citizens  shall be  without distinction  of race, color,
          sex, or any circumstance or condition whatsoever other  than
          individual incompetency, or unworthiness duly ascertained by
          a court of competent jurisdiction.

Sec. 4.   The  right of  the  people  to be  secure in  their persons,
          houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and
          seizures shall not be  violated, and no warrant  shall issue
          but upon  probable cause,  supported by  affidavit, particu-
          larly describing the place to  be searched or the person  or
          thing to be seized.

Sec. 5.   No person shall  be imprisoned for debt, except in cases  of
          fraud.

Sec. 6.   No  person shall  be deprived of  life, liberty or  property
          without due process of law.

Sec. 7.   Absolute, arbitrary power over the lives, liberty and  prop-
          erty of freemen  exists nowhere in  a republic, not  even in
          the largest majority.

Sec. 8.   All courts shall be open and every person for an injury done
          to person, reputation or property shall have justice  admin-
          istered without sale, denial or delay.  Suits may be brought
          against the state in such  manner and in such courts  as the
          legislature may by law direct.

Sec. 9.   The right of  trial by jury shall remain inviolate in  crim-
          inal cases, but a  jury in civil cases  in all courts or  in
          criminal cases in courts not of record, may consist of  less
          than twelve men, as may  be prescribed by law.   Hereafter a
          grand jury may consist of twelve men, any nine of whom  con-
          curring  may  find  an  indictment,  but the Legislature may
          change, regulate or abolish the grand jury system.

Sec. 10.  In all  criminal  prosecutions  the accused  shall have  the
          right to  defend in  person and  by counsel,  to demand  the
          nature and cause of the accusation, to have a copy  thereof,
          to be  confronted with  the witnesses  against him,  to have
          compulsory process served for obtaining witnesses, and to  a
          speedy trial by an impartial jury of the county or  district
          in which the offense is alleged to have been committed.

Sec. 11.  No person shall  be compelled to testify against himself  in
          any criminal case, nor shall any person be twice put to jeo-
          pardy for the  same offense. If  a jury disagree,  or if the
          judgement be arrested after  a verdict, or if  the judgement
          be reversed for error in law, the accused shall not be deem-
          ed to have been in jeopardy.

Sec. 12.  No  person shall  be detained as  a witness in  any criminal
          prosecution longer than  may be necessary  to take his  tes-
          timony  or  deposition,  nor  be  confined in any room where
          criminals are imprisoned.

Sec. 13.  Until otherwise  provided by  law, no  person  shall,  for a
          felony, be proceeded  against criminally, otherwise  than by
          indictment, except  in cases  arising in  the land  or naval
          forces, or in the militia when in actual service in time  of
          war or public danger.

Sec. 14.  All persons shall be bailable by sufficient sureties, except
          for capital offenses when the  proof is evident or the  pre-
          sumption great.  Excessive bail  shall not  be required, nor
          excessive fines imposed, nor shall cruel or unusual  punish-
          ment be inflicted.

Sec. 15.  The penal code  shall be framed on the humane  principles of
          reformation and prevention.

Sec. 16.  No person  arrested  and confined in  jail shall be  treated
          with unnecessary rigor. The erection of safe and comfortable
          prisons, and inspection of prisons, and the humane treatment
          of prisoners shall be provided for.

Sec. 17.  The privilege  of the  writ of  habeas  corpus  shall not be
          suspended unless, when in case of rebellion or invasion  the
          public safety may require it.

Sec. 18.  The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession  and
          worship without discrimination  or preference shall  be for-
          ever guaranteed in this state,  and no person shall be  ren-
          dered incompetent to hold any office of trust or profit,  or
          to serve as  a witness or  juror, because of  his opinion on
          any matter of religious  belief whatsoever; but the  liberty
          of conscience hereby secured shall not be so construed as to
          excuse acts  of licentiousness  or justify  practices incon-
          sistent with the peace and safety of the state.

Sec. 19.  No money of the state shall ever be given or appropriated to
          any sectarian or religious society or institution.

Sec. 20.  Every person  may  freely  speak, write  and publish  on all
          subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and
          in all trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth,
          when published with good intent and [for] justifiable  ends,
          shall be a sufficient defense, the jury having the right  to
          determine the facts and the law, under the direction of  the
          court.

Sec. 21.  The  right of petition, and  of the people peaceably  to as-
          semble to  consult for  the common  good, and  to make known
          their opinions, shall never be denied or abridged.

Sec. 22.  The rights of labor shall have just protection through  laws
          calculated to secure to  the laborer proper rewards  for his
          service and to promote the industrial welfare of the state.

Sec. 23.  The right  of the  citizens  to  opportunities for education
          should  have  practical  recognition.  The legislature shall
          suitably encourage means and agencies calculated to  advance
          the sciences and liberal arts.

Sec. 24.  The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of  themselves
          and the state shall not be denied.

Sec. 25.  The  military shall ever be  in strict subordination to  the
          civil power. No soldier in time of peace shall be  quartered
          in any house  without consent of  the owner, nor  in time of
          war except in the manner prescribed by law.

Sec. 26.  Treason against the state shall consist only in levying  war
          against it, or in adhering to its enemies, or in giving them
          aid and  comfort. No  person shall  be convicted  of treason
          unless on the testimony of  two witnesses to the same  overt
          act, or on confession in open court; nor shall any person be
          attainted of treason by the legislature.

Sec. 27.  Elections shall be open, free and equal, and no power, civil
          or military, shall at any  time interfere to prevent an  un-
          trammeled exercise of the right of suffrage.

Sec. 28.  No tax shall be imposed without the consent of the people or
          their  authorized  representatives.  All  taxation  shall be
          equal and uniform. Section 29.  No distinction shall ever be
          made by law between resident  aliens and citizens as to  the
          possession, taxation, enjoyment and descent of property.

Sec. 30.  Perpetuities and monopolies are contrary to the genius of  a
          free state, and  shall not be  allowed.  Corporations  being
          creatures of the state, endowed  for the public good with  a
          portion  of  its  sovereign  powers,  must be subject to its
          control.

Sec. 31.  Water being  essential to industrial prosperity, of  limited
          amount, and easy of diversion from its natural channels, its
          control must be  in the state,  which, in providing  for its
          use, shall equally guard all the various interests involved.

Sec. 32.  Private property shall  not be taken for private use  unless
          by consent of the owner, except for private ways of  necess-
          ity, and  for reservoirs,  drains, flumes  or ditches  on or
          across the lands of  others for agricultural, mining,  mill-
          ing, domestic or sanitary purposes, nor in any case  without
          due compensation.

Sec. 33.  Private property shall not be taken or damaged for public or
          private use without just compensation.

Sec. 34.  All laws of a general nature shall have a uniform operation.

Sec. 35.  No ex post  facto law, nor any law impairing  the obligation
          of contracts, shall ever be made.

Sec. 36.  The enumeration  in  this  constitution, of  certain  rights
          shall not be construed to deny, impair, or disparage  others
          retained by the people.

Sec. 37.  The state of  Wyoming is an inseparable part of  the federal
          union,  and  the  constitution  of  the United States is the
          supreme law of the land.


